Self-contained pressurized dispensers are a convenient way to dispense products for use, and many consumer products are packaged in such dispensers, including hair spray, cleaning products, paint, adhesives, insect repellents, and the like. Conventional pressurized dispensers typically comprise a metal container having a bottom wall and a top wall, with a combined fill and discharge valve mounted in the top wall. A product to be dispensed is held within the container, along with a suitable propellant, whereby the contents of the container are under pressure and when the discharge valve is actuated the product is dispensed through the valve. Many such dispensers comprise aerosol dispensers which emit a fine spray of product, although others may discharge a foam or gel, or even a liquid stream. Moreover, although some prior art pressurized dispensing containers have means for holding plural products in separate compartments and admixing them as they are discharged, most prior art pressurized dispensing containers hold only a single product.
Many products, such as urethane and epoxy paints, two component adhesives, and some hair dyes, for example, require two components to be mixed together before the product is suitable for use. However, the components generally cannot be mixed together until shortly before use because they will react with another when mixed together and will become unsuitable for use relatively quickly. For instance, one of the components in many two component products includes a catalyst. Because of the requirement to maintain these multiple component products separate from one another until they are ready for use, and the previous unavailability of a suitable pressurized dispensing container for holding these components in separate compartments and then admixing them when desired just prior to use, such products have typically been packaged and sold in separate containers and then mixed just prior to use. Accordingly, they have generally not been suitable for use in the more convenient pressurized dispensing containers.
There is thus need for an inexpensive, reliable and easy-to-use pressurized dispensing container which has means for holding plural components in separate compartments and then admixing the components when desired just prior to use.